Neo Makwa, better known in the music industry as Makwa Beats, has once again found himself in a dispute—this time with Blackbrain Productions. The renowned producer and rapper, who previously had fallouts with heavyweights DJ Maphorisa and Kwesta, took to social media this week to voice his frustrations. Despite mending fences with his former collaborators, the hitmaker is now embroiled in a new dispute over unpaid work for the film Piano Love.
Makwa claims that he produced multiple songs for the movie’s soundtrack but was never compensated. In a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter), Makwa responded to Blackbrain’s celebration of the show’s success by saying, “That time anifuni ukus’bhadala (That time you don’t want to pay us).” His frustration didn’t stop there, as he told ZiMoja in an interview that he had been blocked by the production company after exposing their alleged refusal to pay him.
“They were supposed to pay me for the master and the publishing rights,” Makwa explained. “I contacted my publisher, and he lied to Kwesta, claiming I hadn’t submitted an invoice. Despite Makwa’s claims, Blackbrain Productions has remained tight-lipped on the matter. Their publicist, Nyiko Chauke, only offered a brief comment: “We will look into the matter.”
Makwa, who has produced chart-topping hits like Ngudu, Spirit, Ngiyaz’fela Ngawe, and Energy by Kwesta, expressed his disappointment over constantly being overlooked and underappreciated. “I work hard, but I never eat from the music I make,” he lamented. “It’s always other people who get the glory and the money.”
This latest setback has caused Makwa to rethink his career in the music industry. Disheartened, he revealed that he might be considering a career change. “Maybe I should leave the music business, go back to school, and pursue other career ventures,” he added, visibly worn out by the continuous battles for recognition and payment.
In another twist, Makwa recently dropped a bombshell about Kwesta’s 2016 hit song Mayibabo. He alleged that Nota Baloyi, not DJ Maphorisa, was responsible for artists not being properly compensated for their contributions to the track. Makwa accused Nota of handling the splits behind everyone’s back.
This revelation comes after former Rhythm City actress Itumeleng Bokaba shared that she was paid a paltry sum for her role in the song. Nota, however, has denied all accusations, but Makwa remains firm in his stance. “People are just greedy in this game, and I keep making hits but not getting rewarded for it,” he concluded.
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